1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to GPS and other navigational devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a GPS device which may be mounted on a dashboard of any vehicle after the vehicle has been manufactured yet appears to be integral with the dashboard.
2. Description of the Prior Art
GPS and other navigational devices continue to increase in popularity as more users desire to know their exact location, track their movements, and receive directions while driving, hiking, and performing other activities. Such navigational devices are particularly useful and popular in vehicles because drivers and passengers often desire to have such navigational capabilities while traveling.
GPS devices designed for use in vehicles are typically either fixed, factory-installed devices mounted within a vehicle's dash or portable devices which can be carried into a vehicle for use therein. Both of these types of navigational devices offer advantages, but also suffer from several disadvantages.
Factory-installed GPS devices have the advantage of being integrally mounted within a factory-provided opening in a vehicle while the vehicle is being manufactured and thus present a professional, “finished” appearance. However, these devices are very expensive and typically must be mounted within a vehicle's center stack (the area on the dash between the driver and front passenger where car stereos and other equipment is typically located). Mounting a navigational device in a vehicle's center stack takes up valuable space which is needed for other components such as stereo receivers, climate controls, etc. Moreover, mounting a navigational device in a vehicle's center stack requires a driver to look down and away from the road to read navigational information, thus increasing the chance of accidents. Another limitation is that such devices cannot be easily added to a vehicle after the vehicle has been manufactured. For example, although a car dealer may have hundreds of vehicles available for sale, only a few of the vehicles may be equipped with factory-installed navigational devices. If a customer wishes to have a GPS device installed in a vehicle not originally equipped with such a device, it is impractical and too costly to ship the vehicle back to the factory for installing a factory-installed GPS device.
Portable GPS devices solve many of these limitations because they can be carried into any vehicle and used without taking up valuable space in the vehicle's center stack. Portable GPS devices are also typically much less expensive than factory-installed GPS devices. However, portable GPS devices can be difficult to use while driving because they are not mounted in a fixed location and therefore can be easily dropped and/or misplaced. Similarly, because they are not mounted to a fixed location, portable GPS devices must be held while in use, thus diverting a driver's attention from the road.
Mounting devices for removably mounting a portable GPS device on a vehicle's dash or elsewhere have been designed to alleviate some of these problems. However, such mounting devices can be unsightly because they often to do not match or complement factory-installed components of the vehicle such as the dashboard. Moreover, because these mounting devices are designed to be easily removable, they often become loose or unintentionally detached due to vehicle vibrations and other movements.